One of the most proactive ways to stay on top of your health is to have an annual wellness visit with your primary care provider. For older adults with Medicare, this visit is called an Annual Wellness Visit or AWV. An AWV is a yearly check-up focused on prevention and planning for long-term health.

Eskenazi Health Center is pleased to offer these visits at many of their locations. To find the site most convenient to you, please visit https://www.eskenazihealth.edu/locations/primary-care-sites.

By being seen every year, health issues can be caught early before they become serious. During an AWV, you and your provider will review your overall health and build a personalized health plan specifically tailored to you and your unique health needs. This plan helps you stay up to date on recommended screenings and vaccines, identify any risk factors, and reduce the risk of serious chronic illness.

Best of all, the AWV is fully covered by Medicare, at no cost to you. There is no copay, no coinsurance or deductible for this visit.

“Medicare Annual Wellness Visits are a great tool for preventive care and health maintenance. As providers, they help us close gaps in care and make sure we are addressing what matters most to each patient. AWVs are one of the best ways stay healthy and catch problems before they become serious,” said Nicole Nace, M.D., value-based care provider champion and chief physician executive at Eskenazi Health Center Pecar.

What to Expect at an Annual Wellness Visit

Your first visit is called the “Welcome to Medicare” visit followed by an AWV every year after. You become eligible for your first “Welcome to Medicare” visit within your first 12 months of having Medicare (or a Medicare Advantage plan) and you can then have an AWV every 12 months going forward.

During your AWV, your health care team may:

• Review your health history, including medical conditions, medications and supplements, and family health history.
• Take basic measurements, including height, weight, blood pressure and other routine screenings as needed.
• Assess potential health risks, including fall risk, memory and cognition, depression screening, and lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, tobacco use).
• Discuss safety and prevention, including home safety (fall prevention) and advance care planning.
• Create a personalized prevention plan built around your goals for the year ahead.
• Complete other recommended screenings such as cancer screenings, vaccinations and help develop health goals for the next year.

Beyond the Physical: Why this Visit Matters

An AWV has many benefits beyond the exam room. It supports your independence and safety through fall prevention and memory screenings, which are resources you may not receive during a typical check-up. Many patients also receive incentives from their insurance plans for completing their AWV. For example, Anthem Medicare Advantage plans frequently offer digital gift cards to patients for completing an AWV with their primary care provider. (It’s worth checking with your specific insurance plan to see what, if anything, they may offer.)

How Should I Prepare?

Once your AWV is scheduled, please plan to bring these with you to your appointment:

• A list or photo of your current medications (or your medication bottles)
• Any recent test results (if available)
• Names of your other health care providers (if you have them)
• Questions or concerns about your health
• Advance directive documents (if you have them)

How Do I Schedule a Visit?

Please call Eskenazi Health Connections at 317.880.7666 and ask to schedule a “Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.”

It is important to check with your insurance provider to determine your eligibility to receive an AWV. To learn more about AWVs, please visit https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/welcome-to-medicare-preventive-visit.